Why we should all dispose of waste properly and the dire consequences if we don’t

Polluted groundwater, damage to wildlife and harmful greenhouse gas emissions are just some of the results of improper waste management.

As a leading recycling and waste management company, our day-to-day work is focused on managing technical and hazardous waste in an environmentally, socially and economically sustainable manner.

But we have also witnessed first-hand the damage that can be done and the pollution that can be caused if waste is not disposed of properly. Here’s a few examples of the dire consequences of not managing waste in the correct way.

Litter

The most immediate example of improper waste disposal is litter. Environmental body Keep Britain Tidy estimates that more than 30million tons of litter is found on the streets in England every year.

It is a blight on everyone’s life with almost six in 10 people considering litter to be a problem. Local authorities across the country are reported to spend £1billion a year dealing with the problem.

And it’s not just humans who are affected. The RSPCA says on average it receive 14 calls a day about animals injured or caught by litter. Waste balloons, glass jars, tin cans, plastic bags can choke, cut, or suffocate wild animals if they are not disposed of properly.

Hazardous waste

Waste industrial liquids and solvents can cause serious health issues if not disposed of in the correct way. They can leech into the ground water and pollute drinking supplies or contaminate the water used to water crops.

A growing problem is so-called e-waste – that is old electronic devices such as mobile phones and computers, which contain toxins, such as heavy metals and other chemicals like mercury, cadmium and beryllium. These can leach into the ground and water supplies, and in large enough doses have been proven to causing kidney and liver damage and impaired mental development.

Waste prevention and recycling help address global climate change by decreasing the amount of greenhouse gas emissions and saving energy.

If you would like to discuss a waste management issue with us, please contact us on our 24-hour hotline 01787 221 664 or see here to find out more about how we can help you dispose of your waste properly.